[17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. Mannix died in 1983 at the age of 77--her husband Eddie had died in 1963. When George Reeves died in 1959, the death was quickly considered to be one that was self-inflicted. [42] In 1985, he was posthumously named one of the honorees by DC Comics in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great. CleverJourneys: American Crime Chronicles Two Los Angeles police officers arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon at almost 3 a.m., June 16, 1959. They decided that he had not committed suicide. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. He kept his private life discreet, including a romantic relationship with Toni Mannix, wife of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer general manager Eddie Mannix. George Reeves Real name: George Keefer Brewer, George Bessolo. They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. Over six years and 104 episodes, the actor smiled broadly in pictures, fists planted on hips in the famous Superman power pose, and made appearances to promote the hit television show, including a guest spot in costume on I Love Lucy. She even commissioned a second autopsy, which concluded that Reeves was possibly murdered. wow..thats a great articleby the way, Ive read those article in other site about his deathit is written that a ghostly phenomena has been reported at the former Reeves house ever since his death? According to Larson, Reeves also said he would feel better about the role if he knew he had any adult fans but never learned that Adventures of Superman had adult fans even during its original broadcast run.[17]. The Mysterious Death of Superman. A shot was heard. And so, almost forty years later, we are left wondering. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. The world was shocked to learn that famed Superman actor, George Reeves, had been found dead in his home of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Flickr CommonsThe costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. In the early morning hours of June 16, 1959, George Reeves, who was the first to make the superhero an icon when he played the titular role in the inaugural TV series, was found dead in his bedroom, naked with a bullet through his head. The official cause of death for Reeves was ruled a suicide. On June 16, 1959, Reeves died from a single gunshot wound in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. Attempting to showcase his versatility, Reeves sang on the Tony Bennett show in August 1956. She died in 1989. Many felt that Reeves was tired of being known as Superman, and that he killed himself out of anguish. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. Over the years, occupants of the house have been plagued by not only the sound of a single gunshot that echoes in the darkness, but strange lights, and even the apparition of George Reeves George Reeves death home- Beverly Hills, CA - Infamous Crime Scenes on Waymarking.com. There was no doubt that he had enjoyed a few libations that evening, but even drunk it stretches the imagination that someone would strip before committing suicide. [17] He was drafted in early 1943. Finally, a single shot rang out. director Mark Sandrich. Michael Hayde firmly believes that George Reeves was murdered. And did that scandal involve one of the most powerful men in the movie business, Toni Maddoxs husband Eddie? In typical fashion, Reeves and Lemmon went out for a boozy night on the town. Bud Collyer had voiced the Man of Steel on the radio from 1940 to 1951, and Kirk Alyn played the role in two 15-part movie serials that ended in 1950. Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? Years later, William Bliss, one of the party guests who had originally told police Leonore Lemmon was downstairs with them when the shot was heard, changed his story. Its not like my George to do a thing like that, his mother told the press. Would the actor, generally described as an ordinary, straightforward kind of guy, really have killed himself in a house full of guests, especially choosing to do so naked - highly unusual in suicides? Jim Beaver is just as convinced that George's death was a suicide, as was reported in the newspapers of the day. >> George Reeves's death, and there are very interesting questions >> supporting the various theories. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. It is located in a fairly modest area, even though the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. I told you, hes shot himself., When the cops arrived on the scene, Lemmon told them she had been only kidding when she made her strange remarks. Released from his Warners contract, he signed a contract at Twentieth Century-Fox but was released after only a handful of films. Toni Lanier Mannix (born Camille Bernice Froomess; February 19, 1906 - September 2, 1983) was an American actress and dancer in early motion pictures filmed with soundtracks, known as "talkies".Going by the name Toni Lanier, she became known in Hollywood circles for her extramarital relationship with future husband MGM studio head Eddie Mannix, who was married at the time to Bernice Fitzmaurice. Shortly after they arrived, Reeves came downstairs to find out what the commotion was. He was initially reluctant to take the role because, like many actors of his time, he considered television unimportant and believed few would see his work. Lemmon had called them after she and her party guests had found Reeves dead in his bedroom. At this time, Reeves and his mother moved from Iowa to Ashland, Kentucky, to stay with relatives for a time[10] and then to her home of Galesburg, Illinois.[11]. The Afterlife of George Reeves Actor George Reeves died at 1:59 am on June 16, 1959. On June 15, George and Leonore had gone out to a rather boozy dinner, to celebrate the upcoming marriage. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. If anyone could put the heat on Superman it was Eddie. Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. Later in life, she become a somewhat tragic figure, bloated and consumed by alcoholism, Leonore would give many different accounts of the events of that night, often contradicting herself and denying things she was commonly reported to have said and done. Finally, theres the fiancee. A photo of a smiling Reeves and the sign appears in Gary Grossman's book about the show. [1][2], His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. Whilst its true the actor had a habit of playing dangerous games with his gun, naked in bed at 1am does not seem a very likely time for macabre party tricks. The official ruling was suicide. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. Gene LeBell was there at George's house the morning before George died, training George. In contemporary news articles, Lemmon attributed Reeves' alleged suicide to depression caused by his "failed career" and inability to find more work. Was it true she was heard to say He is going to shoot himself, after Reeves had left the party to go back to bed? Reeves died at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound to the head. But this wasn't the conclusion of the police officers who arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, in the early hours of June 16, 1959. Reeves had options for making a living, but those options apparently all involved playing Superman againa role that he was not eager to reprise at age 45. The second half of the show was Reeves out of costume as himself, singing and accompanying himself on the guitar. George Reeves Facts. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their gravesIn . Reportedly, the police had not been called until at least a half an hour after his death. How do we create a person's profile? During the second season, Reeves appeared in a short film for the Treasury Department entitled Stamp Day for Superman, in which he caught the villains and told children why they should invest in government savings stamps. 1. His body was later cremated and interred at the Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, which I blogged about during my Haunted Hollywood theme last year. The first photo above looks into the living room from the backyard. There were 104 episodes of The Adventures of Superman before the cancellation ax fell in 1958. George Reeves was depressed and whilst entertaining guests at his home he he inexplicably left the room, placed a pistol to his right temple and pulled the trigger. The police also appeared to be behaving in a careless manner. To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. George Reeves' home in Benedict Canyon On June 16, 1959, Lenore Lemmon served dinner at around 6:30 p.m. at Reeves' Benedict Canyon home. He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. However, these were never investigated and Giesler strangely refused to work on the case any longer. 1579 Benedict Canyon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. He was able to play against type and starred as a villainous gold hunter in a Johnny Weismuller Jungle Jim film. In the early morning hours of June 16, 1959, George Reeves, who was the first to make the superhero an icon when he played the titular role in the inaugural TV series, was found dead in his. The recent feature film, "Hollywoodland" is about this questionable death of a popular celebrity. Between the start of production on Gone With the Wind and its release 12months later, several films on his Warner contract were made and released, making Gone With the Wind his first film role, but his fifth film release. His work on the show would earn him fame as the Original Superman, even though that wasnt technically true. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. Loved the commercial..how cool! (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures. Or was the culprit his new girlfriend, the volatile and temperamental Lemmon, who had argued with Reeves the night of his death about the late night party she was having whilst he tried to sleep off his own night of heavy drinking? More adept with withering, foul mouthed put downs, violence was not really her style. But from another, the death of George Reeves looks a lot like murder. They got home around 11 p.m. A couple hours later, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss stopped by for a drink. (The punchline: Ricardo, do you mean to say that youve been married to her for 15 years? Listen to 022 - The Suspicious Death of George Reeves . The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. After breaking up with his wife, Reeves had engaged in a three-year affair with actress Toni Mannix, who was married to a notorious fixer for MGM Studios. All too often it is those closest to someone who takes their own life who can least understand it. George Reeves hit the television jackpot when he landed the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the television series The Adventures of Superman. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. EXPLOSIVE new forensic evidence reveals Superman actor George Reeves didn't commit suicide he was murdered and a GLOBE investigation has uncovered the sordid truth behind the "perfect crime" and sinister cover-up of nearly 60 years! '"[29], Reeves, Noel Neill, Natividad Vaco, Gene LeBell, and a trio of musicians toured with a public-appearance show from 1957 onward. But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. Reeves would later recall the impact Sandrich's death had on his career. The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. The death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. Two additional bullets were discovered embedded in the bedroom floor. Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. George Reeves mother Helen Bessolo never accepted the official verdict and hired private investigators to to reopen the investigation into his death. Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. Character actor Ben Welden had acted with Reeves in the Warner Bros. days and frequently guest-starred on Superman. He Grew Up Thinking He Was Italian. The areas which appeared in the commercial include the den; the master bedroom (where the actor died); and the backyard. Show more. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. Was the star of 50s TV show The Adventures of Superman murdered? When he returned, his mother told him his stepfather had committed suicide. Reeves also enjoyed playing with an unloaded gun. Twentieth Century-Fox loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia,[17] a box-office failure, after which he freelanced, looking to find work in westerns.